Festival · Tashiding
Bumchu at Tashiding
Once a year the monks of Tashiding open a sealed vase of sacred water and measure it. The level is read as a forecast for Sikkim's coming year, and pilgrims queue through the night for a few drops.
Bumchu means 'sacred vase'. The vase at Tashiding Monastery is kept sealed all year and opened only on the night of the 14th and the morning of the 15th day of the first month of the Tibetan calendar, which falls in February or March. Monks measure the water in front of the crowd. The traditional reading is simple: a full vase promises a good year, a low level warns of scarcity, and cloudy or dirty water warns of trouble.
After the reading, the water is mixed and given to pilgrims as a blessing, and the vase is topped up with river water and sealed again for the next year. Pilgrims come from across Sikkim and from Nepal and Bhutan, and many stay up through the night in the monastery courtyard, among butter lamps, chanting and the smell of juniper smoke.
Tashiding itself is worth the trip at any time: a hilltop monastery founded in 1641 between the Rathong Chu and the Rangeet, with the Thongwa Rangdol chorten and long walls of carved mani stones. During Bumchu it is crowded and spiritual rather than a show for visitors, so come as a guest, not a spectator.
Tips
- Book a room in Tashiding, Yuksom or Pelling weeks ahead, because pilgrims fill every bed nearby
- Carry a torch, a flask and warm layers if you plan to stay up through the night
- Ask before photographing monks or the vase ceremony, and keep flash off
Most hill festivals follow lunar calendars, so dates move each year. Check current status before you travel.
Questions people ask
Good to know
When is Bumchu held at Tashiding?
Bumchu follows the Tibetan lunar calendar: the 14th and 15th days of the first month, which usually falls in February or March. The exact dates move every year, so check the Sikkim government holiday list or ask the monastery or a local hotel. Check current status before you travel, as timings can shift.
Can tourists attend Bumchu?
Yes. Bumchu is a public religious festival and visitors are welcome if they behave as guests: dress modestly, keep to the edges of the crowd, do not push into the queue for blessed water unless you wish to receive it, and ask before taking photographs. Expect large crowds, little space and long waits.
What does the water level in the Bumchu vase mean?
By tradition the monks read the level as a forecast for the year ahead. A full vase is taken to mean peace and plenty, a low level points to drought or scarcity, and turbid water to unrest. The reading is announced publicly and discussed across Sikkim in the days after the festival.
How do I reach Tashiding for Bumchu?
Tashiding is about 19 km from Yuksom and about 40 km from Pelling. Shared jeeps run from Gyalshing and Jorethang, with extra vehicles at festival time, though seats go quickly. Many visitors stay in Yuksom or Pelling and come by reserved car. Leave early, because the last stretch of road jams up.